The Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings for 2013 has just been released. It lists the 400 top-ranking institutions; the information can be broken down by region and by subject. Thirteen criteria were used to evaluate each school, ranging from research to innovation. The “analysis” section contains many thought-provoking articles, and the methodology tab explains the ranking procedure very succinctly. A very brief description of each university is provided. Access to previous lists is also available.
Archive for Lists
Guide to Federal Acronyms and Abbreviations
GovSpeak is a comprehensive guide to the bewildering number of acronyms and abbreviations that litter federal governmental websites or publications. Not only does it list the agency, but it also provides a link to that agency’s site. Military abbreviations are found in the DOD Dictionary of Military Terms. And the government is not the only entity to blame – check out what we do in libraries! -Library-Related Acronyms.
What Are the Top Manufacturing Countries?
According to the 2013 Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index from Deloitte, based on interviews with 550 CEOs and senior manufacturing leaders, China tops the list and will do so for at least the next five years. The United States placed third and will drop to fifth place in five years as developing economies like Brazil and Singapore surge up the list. Dozens of tables and figures track the various input and output criteria used to create this list. Appendix A offers a detailed look at the top ten countries, performing what can only be called a SWOT analysis on each.
New State Laws Going into Effect on January 1, 2013
The National Conference on State Legislatures has published its list of interesting laws that became effective on January 1. They are divided into broad subject areas ranging from “Alcohol and Drug Policy” to “Transportation.” Each law is accompanied by the full text of the legislation.
List of 2012 Year in Review Sites
The following lists should prove of use: Google Zeitgeist; Yahoo; 2012: The Year in Pictures (New York Times); 2012 in America: The Year in Review (Guardian); CDC 2012: Year in Review; NASA Year in Review 2012; UPI; Reuters; USA Today; and IMDb. New Jersey flavor is found at: 2012 Year in Review (PolitickerNJ) and 2012 Year in Review (NJ Today).
Best Books of the Year for 2012
Well, here we go! Best NonFiction, Fiction, Case Books (Mysteries) of 2012 (Wall Street Journal); Page Turners (The Economist); Best Books of 2012 (Financial Times); Books of the Year 2012 (The Guardian); 100 Notable Books of 2012 (The New York Times); Books of the Year 2012 (The Atlantic); Best Books of the Year: Top 100 Picks for 2012 (Amazon); Best Books of 2012 (Barnes & Noble); Best Books and Media of 2012 (Library Journal); Outstanding Academic Titles, 2012: Top 25 Books (Choice); Best Nonfiction of 2012 (Kirkus Reviews); Best Books 2012 (Publishers Weekly); and Top 10 of 2012 (Slate). There’s still time to go out and buy a book for someone, no matter the format. We’ll be spending our down time with OUR present (we know, we know, we’re not supposed to know) – Peter Brown’s Through the Eye of a Needle, along with several books of British naval fiction.
World’s Greenest Companies
Brought out by Daily Beast/Newsweek, the listings include the top 500 U.S. companies as well as a separate 500 list for the world. Some of the sortable criteria include company name, industry sector, impact, management, and green score. There is an informative FAQ that accompanies this site.
500 Most Expensive Zip Codes
Forbes has published this list based on median home prices. New Jersey appears at the top – Alpine ranks as the second most expensive zip code in the country. Within a zip code in San Francisco, a home remains on the market an average of only42 days, the shortest wait in the country. The list is sortable by zip code, home price, price change, days on market, and number of homes for sale.
2012 World’s Largest Companies
This Global 500 list from Fortune/CNN/Money can be searched in any number of ways: by location (New Jersey is headquarters to a few of these corporations); number of employees; profiability; CEO; top companies – fastest growing; and “movers.” Each company has a snapshot profile along with financial information.
Best High Schools in the U.S. – New Jersey Has 82
U.S. News and World Report has just issued its Best High Schools in the US list; more than 21,000 high schools were examined. Of all the schools garnering recognition (4300), New Jersey had 82. Schools are ranked both nationally and by state. The New Jersey section presents a very brief overall of education in the state before proceeding to list the 82 ranked schools in the state; Jersey City’s McNair Academic High School is ranked #3 in the state and #78 nationally while Liberty High School is “recognized nationally.” You also have the ability to filter schools by their type: charter, magnet, or public. Under the “charter” selection will be found NJCU’s University Academy. All schools on the list have a profile including the makeup of the student body and reported test scores. You can also search by individual school. The methodology employed is explained here. EdWeek has an informative summary.
Are Jeremy Lin and Rihanna Together?
Yes they are! They are listed in Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. Each individual is accorded a biography written by a noteworthy person preferably in their own field; for example, Louis CK’s profile is by Joan Rivers and Matt Lauer’s is by Howard Stern. If you want the rationale behind these picks, please read this.
Global Directory of Think Tanks
Global Go To Think Tanks contains hundreds of these institutions broken down by various categories: top in the world, top regional think tanks, think tanks arranged by research area, and think tanks recognized for special achievement. When doing research on policy questions, this compendium would provide a great starting place to identify major players in your field of endeavor be it security, or health policy, or international economics.
Lists of Presidential and State Primaries and Caucuses
Here are two very straight-forward sites that deliver the above information: the first is a listing by date of presidential primaries/caucuses; the second is an arrangement by state that not only includes the presidential primaries/caucuses but also includes the state-level primaries/caucuses for congressional seats. This 2011 CRS report – Presidential Nominating Process: Current Issues - provides needed background on this topic. Also, chapter one of Stephen Wayne’s Road to the White House 2008 focuses on “Presidential Selection: A Historical Overview”; a partial 2012 version of this chapter is available at Google Books. Additionally, these articles are of help: Reforming the Presidential Nominating Process; Reforming Presidential Nominations: Rotating State Primaries or a National Primary?; and Polls and Elections: Support for Nationalizing Presidential Elections.
U.S. News & World Report Ranks Online Degree Programs
This newsweekly examined hundreds of online programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels concentrating on business, education, nursing, computer information technology, and engineering. Several criteria were applied to each program (methodology is explained). A simple school name search is provided as well. It should be noted that no for-profit institution made the top of any list.
Listing of Sears and Kmart Stores to Close
This list may be expanded to 120 stores in the near future. For now, there are 80 stores slated to close. For this go-around, New Jersey has been spared any closures.
2011 Year in Review
Gentle reader, in case you have forgotten or wish you had forgotten the previous year’s activities, here are some sites to refresh your memory: 2011: Year in Review (infoplease); 2011 Year in Review (Yahoo); Year in Review 2011 (Reuters); Dynamic 2011 Events to Shape the World for Years to Come (CNN); 2011: Year in Review (CBS); Year in Review 2011: Videos (New York Times); Year in Review: Science Stories of 2011 (NPR); 2011 Year-End Review (Wall Street Journal); 2011: Year in Review (Los Angeles Times); 365 Days: 2011 in Review (Nature); and let us not forget Dave Barry’s take on the past year. On a more local level, please read 2011: The Year in Review in Politics (NJ Spotlight); and 2011 Power List and Year in Review (PolitickerNJ).
List of Mail Processing Centers to be Consolidated
Here is the list of proposed closings put out by the USPS; New Jersey takes a hit. These closings, in addition to local post office closings (two in Jersey City alone), will definitely mean thousands of newly-unemployed workers and slower delivery of first-class mail.( USPS press release)
Richest People in America
Courtesy of Forbes, this list of the 400 wealthiest Americans can be searched by industry, state, and category; i.e., self-made, women, etc. Each entry provides a brief biography as well as indicating on what other Forbes list the individual may be found. Once again, we did not make the list.
Is Your Lawyer Registered to Practice in Your State?
This list provides links and phone numbers to ascertain if your attorney is qualified to practice law in your state. Please read the notes and disclaimers.
2011 Best Books
Here they come! (This list will be expanded as new sites appear.) Amazon (spread over 20 categories); Publishers Weekly (multiple categories); Young Adult Library Services Association (including picks for reluctant readers); 100 Notable Books of 2011 (The New York Times); Best Books of 2011 (Kirkus Reviews); 2011 USA Best Books; Top 25 Academic Titles for 2011 (Choice);
